Sts. Philip and James the Apostles

Sts. Philip and James were two of the Twelve Apostles chosen by the Lord, honored together on a single feast because their relics were enshrined together in the church of the Holy Apostles at Rome. Philip, a native of Bethsaida in Galilee, was among the first called by Jesus and in turn brought his friend Nathanael to the Lord; it was Philip who, at the Last Supper, made the request that drew forth one of Christ's great sayings — "Lord, show us the Father" — and heard the answer, "He who has seen me has seen the Father."

James, called the Less to distinguish him from the other apostle James, was the son of Alphaeus and, by ancient tradition, the first bishop of Jerusalem, revered by Jew and Christian alike for his holiness and long hours of prayer, and honored as the author of the New Testament Epistle that bears his name, which teaches that faith without works is dead. Tradition holds that he was martyred at Jerusalem for his witness to Christ. Faithful apostles who spread the Gospel after Pentecost, the two are celebrated together on 3 May.